• This increase in water allocation is further to the announcement made on 23 rd. June 2021.
• Each utility expected to utilize a total of 22.5Billion Cubic Meters for its respective power generation operations.
Zambezi River Authority says it has revised the volume of water allocated for power generation operations at Kariba for 2021 upwards by three billion cubic meters.
Authority Chief Executive Munyaradzi Munodawafa explained this increase in water allocation is further to the announcement made on 23 rd. June 2021 where ZESCO Limited and Zimbabwe Power Company were jointly granted an additional 12 billion cubic meters of water.
“The 3 Billion Cubic Meters increase in water allocation was informed by hydrological simulations carried out by the Authority that considered the obtaining stored usable water and power generation levels at the two Kariba Power Stations, as well as the Normal to Above Normal Rainfall projections made by the respective Meteorological Departments of the Republics of Zambia and Zimbabwe for the 2021/2022 rainfall season,” he said.
Engineer Munodawafa highlighted that the 2021 allocation increased from the initial combined allocation of 30Billion Cubic Meters granted at the commencement of 2021 to 42 Billion Cubic Meters.
He said as a result of this decision, the two utilities have effectively been allocated a combined total of 45 Billion Cubic Meters of water for 2021, with each utility expected to utilize a total of 22.5Billion Cubic Meters for its respective power generation operations at Kariba for the year.
“The Authority’s decision to further increase the 2021 water allocation is premised on the provisions of the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) Acts which provide for the regulation of the Kariba Reservoir in liaison with the two power generation utilities.” said Engineer Munodawafa.
According to him, provisions of the authority’s Acts have subsequently been operationalised under a tripartite Water Purchase Agreement (WPA) signed between the two utilities and the Authority.
He explained the WPA made provision for quarterly reviews of the hydrological outlook at Kariba to inform on the continued availability of water and the need, if any, for adjustments in the amount allocated for power generation at Kariba.
“The quarterly reviews may result in a downward or upward adjustment in the allocation made to Kariba North and South Bank Power Stations for their respective generation operations,” the Chief Executive said.
Engineer Munodawafa had since stated that the Authority will continue to closely monitor the hydrological outlook at Kariba and make necessary adjustments, where necessary, to ensure the sustainable operation of the Kariba Reservoir going into the year 2022.
